Exotics

You Are What You Eat
Dr. Susan Dyer
Most of us are aware of the obesity epidemic afflicting America. Fewer of us are aware of this epidemic afflicting our pets, and our pet birds are no exception!
The traditional diet offered by pet stores to birds is seeds. Occasionally a pet store may recommend some other human foods to supplement your bird’s diet, but these foods are often not ideal either.
Seeds are very high in fat, which makes them delicious. Unfortunately, much like a Twinkie, they are deficient in important vitamins and minerals. This combination results in overweight yet undernourished birds with poor skin or feather quality and fragile bones. Many people don’t recognize the poor feather quality or so-called “stress bars” in their birds feathers as abnormal. But, when their bird has improved after eating a better diet for a few months, many will notice a difference. Read More…